Record changing mechanism



23, 1940. l ,"R. H. RICH RECORD CHANGING MECHANI SM Filed April 15, 19384 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNV-ENTOR. I RUJSELZH. RICH ATTORNEY.

' 23, 1940. R. H. RICH RECORD CHANGING MECHANISM Filed April 15, 1938 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

g umaw Eva/1 BY m H13 ATTCRNEY 23, 1940., R. H. RICH RECORD CHANGINGMECHANISM Filed April 15, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENT OR. P0551105.lP/CH n.&c;u/\

YBY

* ATTORNEY.

April 23, 1940. R. H. RICH RECORD CHANGING MECHANISM Filed April 15,1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. E05 SE L1H R/C H Patented Apr. 23, 1940UNITED STATES 2,198,294 REORD CHANGING MECHANISM Russell 11. Rich,Elyria, Ohio, assignor to The General Industries Company, Elyria, Ohio,a

corporation of Ohio Application April 15, 1938, Serial No. 202,281

8 Claims.

played and removed automatically. The invention relates moreparticularly to improved means for removal of a record at the completionof a record reproduction and re-positioning of the tone arm in aposition to initiate reproduction of another record in a phonographmechanism of the type illustrated in a co-pending application of Paul U.Lannerd, S. N. 75,359, filed. April 20, 1936, for Phonograph mechanisms.

The aforementioned co-pending application of Paul U. Lannerd disclosesan arrangement whereby at the termination of a record reproduction anelement is permitted to engage a camming element associated with thedrive shaft to effect movement of the element and by suitable link meansto concurrently cause a finger to engage and elevate the reproducedrecord to effect removal of the record from the turntable and to returnthe tone arm to a position for reproducing the next record. However, thecamming arrangement associated with the drive shaft as described in thesaid co-pending Lannerd application, and in similar types of mechanism,must effect the total movement of the element actuating the linkage in arelatively short interval of time, such as in one-half to tworevolutions of the drive shaft. Due to the work required of the driveshaft motor in this short period of time relative to the work requiredin effecting normal rotation of the turntable, a considerably largermotor is required than under normal operating conditions.

I have devised a mechanism which permits the drive shaft to distributethe energy delivered by the motor in effecting removal of a record andre-positioning of the tone arm over a relatively longer period andconsequently permits the use of a smaller motor than in prior phonographmechanisms of this type with which I am familiar.

It is an object of my invention, therefore, to provide an improvedautomatic record removal and reproducing mechanism for phonographspermitting these operations to be effected by a relatively small motor.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved automatic recordchanging and reproducing mechanisms for phonographs wherein the powerrequired to effect these operations is reduced to a minimum throughdistribution of the work required over a relatively long interval.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved automatic recordchanging and reproducing mechanisms for phonographs wherein the powerrequired to effect these operations is reduced to a minimum throughdistribution of the work required over a" relatively long interval.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved automaticrecord changing and reproducing mechanism operable by the drive shaft ofa phonograph and wherein the drive shaft goes through severalrevolutions in effecting these results.

Another objectof my invention is to provide an improved phonographmechanism of the above type that is relatively inexpensive tomanufacture and operate.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in an automatic recordchanging phonograph, improved positive means to engage the phonographrecord changing and tone arm return mechanism with the drive shaft ofthe phonograph motor.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will becomeincreasingly apparent from a consideration of the following descriptionof drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the main panel of a phonograph mechanismembodying my invention, in which the turntable is removed for clearsoness and illustrating the position mechanism parts assume during playingof a record;

Fig. 2 is a view smilar to Fig. 1 illustrating the position of the partsduring the discharge of a played record;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately from alongline 3-3 of Fig. 2 illustrating the turntable and supported record,together withthe turntable driving mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 3 takenapproximately from plane 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the mechanism partsengaged with the tumtable device shaft;

Fig. 6 is afragmentary sectional view taken approximately fromthe plane6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the phonograph mechanism tone arm in stopreturned position which it assumes when about to be lowered upon 5 therecord, the view being taken at approximately planes 1-! of Fig. 1 withparts back of the plane omitted for clearness;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of a part of the return means illustratedin Fig. l and Fig. 9 is a section taken along line 9- 9 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, I have shown at I a panel preferablyformed of sheet metal upon which the principal parts of the phonographmechanism to be described are mounted on supports, some on the upperside as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and. some on the lower side, as shown inFig. 3. Panel I may be mounted in any desirable cabinet, portable orotherwise, and the reproducing arm generally indicated at 2, may be ofthety'pe adapted to energize a remotely disposed amplifier orloud-speaker. On the underside of the turntable I, as best illustratedin Fig. 3, is mounted a motor 4, adapted to drive a turntable shaft 5,which projects upwardly through a perforation provided in the panel I,to rotatably drive a turntable 6 upon which may be placed a pile or tierof disc form records I. In a manner to be described a, needle 8, Fig. 9,carried by the reproducing arm- 2, engages the record groove of theuppermost record I .of the tier reproducing the same and at the end ofthe record reproduction the reproducing arm 2 which may be referred toin some instances as the tone arm, is first elevated from the recordtowards the starting position and at the same time the finished recordis lifted from the pile and is discharged laterally from the pile andthe needle 8 is then lowered to-engage the next record for initiatingthe reproduction of the next record. Thus, the entire tier of recordsmay be played, one after the other, automatically.

By means of a lever 9 which may bemoved from one position shown in Figs.1 and 2, to another position, the mechanism may be adapted respectivelyto reproduce and discharge records of two diflerent sizes, the onechange adjustment changing both the record discharge mechanism and themechanism which positions the tone arm at the beginning of the record.Although for convenience, Ihave illustrated my improved mechanism to behereinafter described, as embodying a phonograph adapted to reproducerecords of two different sizes, it is understood that it is equallyapplicable to phonographs adapted to reproduce only a record of a givensize and the change adjustment mechanism constitutes no essential partof my invention.

The drive shaft 5 has a portion thereof preferably immediately above themotor housing, formed with axially extending gear teeth to provide apinion I0 adapted to mesh with a sector gear II. The tone arm 2 at thebeginning of the record occupies the solid line position of Fig. -l withthe needle resting on the record (not shown) and as the motor drives theturntable and the uppermost record therewith, the needle follows thespiral groove of the record and the arm 2 is slowly propelled clockwiseuntil'the needle reaches the terminal groove of the record. Suchterminal grooves, as is well known, may be slightly eccentric and inwhich case the tone arm will be oscillated in the terminal position orthe terminal groove may be spiraled, in which case the tone arm in theterminal position may be given a quick clockwise movement.

The tone arm 2 as best illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, carries thereon athree-prong device generally indicated at I2, one prong of which has atooth I3 projecting therefrom. As tone arm 2 reaches the end of therecord, of the type which oscillates the arm, the tooth I3 will ride upon .a ratchet plate I 5 mounted on an arm I6, 'pivoted at I1 onthepanelI, and will by engagecounter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1. The end ofthe arm I6 remote from the pivot I! has a V-form cam notch I9 thereinwhich engages a pin 20 on the arm 2I pivoted on the panel I by a screw22 which permits arm 2I to oscillate horizontally and vertically.Movement of the arm I0 in either direction therefor, at the end of arecord reproduction will cause the cam notch I0 to act on the pin 20, tomove the arm 2I clockwise,as

viewed in Figs. 1 and 2.

A spring 23 acts to constantly and yieldably hold the arm 2I in thecounter-clockwise direction with the pin 20 against the cam notch I9 soas to always return it thereinto, but allow it to ride therefrom.Rocking the arm 2I clockwise as described, removes a hook portion 24,formed thereon, Figs. 1 and 2, from engagement with a post 25,projecting upwardly from a lever 26 which is pivoted on panel I asindicated at 21 to oscillate horizontally. The lever 26 has an arm 28projecting laterally therefrom and a spring 29 constantly urges the arm28 and lever 26 to rotate counter-clockwise on the pivot 21 so that whenthe post 25 is released from the hook portion 24, the arm 26-movescounter-clockwise under the impulsion of the spring 29 and the end 30thereof is thereby moved from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 towardsthe left to engage the drive shaft in a manner to be described. Themanner of effecting movement of arm 26 in a counter-clockwise directionat the end of a record reproduction so that the inner end of arm 26approaches the drive shaft constitutes no essential part of myinvention, and any suitable arrangement other than that shown may be em-Ployed.

The mechanism for operably linking lever 26 with the drive shaft toeifect rotation of lever 26 in a'counter-clockwise direction as viewedin Fig. 1, will now be described. As previously mentioned, the lever 26is pivotedto the panel at 21 as indicated in Fig. 3 through a bolt I 00which is projected through a perforation in lever 26, through a washer I0|, and through a perforation in' the panel I to form a pivotal mountingfor a lever I02. This mounting is preferably effected by a spacingcollar I03 and a washer and lock nut as-indicated at I04. Thepanel I isprovided with an arcuate slot I05 having a center of radius coincidingwith the pivotal axis of the levers 26 and I02, the levers beinginter-connected to concurrently move about said axis by means of a bolt1 06 projected through a perforation in lever 26 and threadinglyengaging lever I 02. The levers are maintained in parallel-spacedrelation through the provision of a spacingsleeve I01.

The lever I02 which is disposed beneath the. panel I supports an arm I08which is integral with sector gear II. The arm I00. is provided with alongitudinally extending slot as indicated at I09 and pins I 02a havinghead portions greater than the width of the slot I09 are projectedthrough slot I09 and secured in any suitable manner to lever I02 as byflanging the pins I02a. Thus, the arm I08 and its associated sector gearare permitted to move longitudinally relative to the supporting leverI02.

An arm I I0 is pivoted to panel I laterally of lever I02 as indicated atI l0a, Fig. 1, and the opposite end of arm. IIO isprovided withapin IIIwhich projects into slot I09 of sector gear arm I00, whereby when thesector gear arm'is rotated with the supporting lever I02, the'pin IIIwill be constrained to move longitudinally relative to lever I02. Also,the arm I08 and sector gear II may move longitudinally relative to leverI02 independently of movement of pin I I I. Seetor gear arm I08 has twodepending pins afiixed thereto as indicated at H2 and H3, and each ofsaid pins are connected with pin II I by means of tension springsindicated at I I4 and I I5 whereby movement of pin III along slot I09from a predetermined position, will place one of said springs undertension tending to return arm I and its associated sector gear to agiven position.

The pin I I3 has a portion projecting upwardly from arm I08 as indicatedat I I6 which is adapted to engage an arcuate flange II! of an angleelement II8 arced about the pivotal axis 21 of the levers 26 and I02 asa center of radius. In the position illustrated in Fig. 3 the pinportion II6 engages the forward face of arcuate flange I I1 and thesector gear is maintained in engagement with the pinion portion I0 ofthe drive shaft 5.

As best illustrated in Fig. 4 an arm H9 is pivotally supported on theunderside of the sector gear II as indicated at I20, one end of the armII9 being provided with a plurality of gear teeth aligned with andforming a continuation of the gear teeth on the sector gear and adaptedto engage the teeth of the pinion portion I0 of the drive shaft in amanner and for a purpose to be described. The opposite end of arm H9 isprovided with a pin I2I to which is secured one end of a tension springI22, the opposite end of spring I22 being secured to a pin I23 fixed tothe sector gear whereby the toothed end of arm II9 will be continuouslyurged in a direction to engage .the pinion portion of the drive shaft 5.A second pin I24 fixed to the sector gear limits movement of the toothedportion of arm II9 towards the pinion I0--but does not prevent movementin a reverse direction against the tension of spring I22.

The manner of operably moving lever 26 about its pivotal axis 21 throughpower imparted from the drive shaft and the linkage mechanism, asabovedescribed, will now be described. During playing of a record thearm 26, as best illustrated in Fig. 1, will be maintained in the fullline position shown and upon completion of the record the end 30 of arm26 will be permitted in a manner previously described, to movecounter-clockwise and will carry its associated lever I02 alignedtherewith beneath the plate I also counter-clockwise. During playing ofa record the sector gear is in the position illus-- trated in Fig. 1wherein the pin III has assumed a position increasing the tension onspring H4 and diminishing the tension of spring H and the spring II4acting on pin II2 urges the arm I00 of sector gear forwardly in thegeneral direction of the drive shaft 5 so that the pin portion II6 fixedto the sector gear will engage the forward face of arcuate flange II! asthe lever I02 and arm I08 move in a counter-clockwise direction asillustrated in Fig. 1. In order to provide a. sliding engagement of pinportion I I6 with flange III, the end of flange H1 is beveled asindicated at II1w. When the end 30 of arm 26 is permitted to movecounter-clockwise, the arm II9 mounted on the sector gear moves towardsthe drive shaft, and the teeth of arm II9 resiliently engage the pinionI0 of drive shaft 5 and as the pinion revolves the teeth of the sectorgear mesh therewith. The pin portion II6 through engagement with theforward face of arcuate flange Ill maintains the sector gear inengagement with pinion I0 of the drive shaft so that the sector gear andits associated parts are revolved counter-clockwise until the pinportion H6 is carried beyond the flange III and since during thismovement pin III increases the tension on spring II 5 the sector gearand arm I08 are drawn rearwardly so that pin portion H6 is in a positionto engage the rearward face of arcuate flange Ill. The parts of themechanism described are preferably so designed that the rearwardmovement of sector gear II occurs slightly subsequent to thedisengagement of the sector gear and the pinion I0 of the drive shaft.

Any suitable means may be employed for returning the levers 26 and I02together with associated parts to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 ora position to again effect re-positioning of the tone arm and removal ofthe record butI preferably employ an arrangement best indicated in wisedirection as viewed in Fig. 8 during engagement of the sector gear withthe pinion portion of the drive shaft 5 and this movement will exerttension on a spring I35 secured to the arm I3I and panel I. Thus, thespring tension will always tend to return the arm 26 to the positionillustrated in Fig. l and this will be effected when the sector gear ispulled rearwardly out of engagement with the pinion I0 of the driveshaft permitting this return movement. The arcuate slot I05 in panel Ilimits the return movement and the equalizing tension of the springs II4 and H5 associated with lever I02 effect a braking action as thereturn position is approached. Thus, I have described an arrangementwhereby the lever 26 at the completionof a record reproduction may beautomatically rotated by the drive shaft a pre-determined amount andplaced in a position to again be actuated by the drive shaft at thecompletion of the playing of another record.

It will be noted that the construction described due to the number ofteeth on the sector gear and the arm II9 relative to the number of teethon the pinion I0 of the drive shaft, permits several revolutions of thedrive shaft to be effected while in engagement with the sector gear sothat the work done in moving lever 26 and associated parts may bedistributed over a relatively long time interval requiring a small powermotor as compared to a construction wherein this work must be effectedin from one-half to two revolu-.

tions of the drive shaft. It will be apparent that the number of teethin the sector gear may be increased if desired but I have found that theratio indicated will operate satisfactorily so that the powerrequired'in removing a record and repositioning the tone arm is notsubstantially in excess of that required to drive the turntable duringthe playing of a record.

The manner in which the aforementioned provided with a bracket 5| and alaterally exmovement of lever 26 effects repositioning of the tone armwill be briefly described and amore detailed description may be found inthe afore- 'mentioned co-pending application of Paul U.

'a support device to be later described. To elevate one end of arm 2|the lever which is positioned beneath the arm 2|, is provided with aroller 33 engageable with a depending cam portion 3| of arm 2| and aslever 26 is moved horizontally to the left as viewed in Fig. 6, the camportion is caused to ride on roller 33 and elevate arm 2|.

As best illustratedin Fig. 9, the tone arm is tending wing 53 wherebythe tone arm will be engaged by a stop post generally indicated at 63through the bracket 5i acting as a stop means and the wing 53overlapping the upper end of the post to support the tone arm thereon.The stop post is so adjusted that the arm is supported in a positionabove a record whereby lowering of the arm will insert the needle 8 in aperipheral groove ofv the record to initiate reproduction of the record.The stop post in a manner more fully described in the said co-pendingLannerd application is adapted to lower the tone arm on to the recordandthen return to operative position to again receive the tone arm.

Although'anysuitable means may. be employedfor lowering the tone' arm onto the record, I preferably employ a dash-pot arrangement whereby theweight of the tone arm transmitted to the stop post through engagementwith a frusto-conical cup 15 effects downward movement of the cup and anassociated weight '18 until the tone arm is supported on the record. Toelevate the weight 18 and the cup 15, I preferably provide a hanger 8|secured to arm 2| and. projecting downwardly through a suitableperforation on panel I to engage a bar 18 pivotally supported on theunderside of the panel and having a fin-- ger 83 adapted toengage theweight I8 and elevate it and also cup I5 as the arm 2| is raised throughmovement of lever 26.

The mechanism for removing the record will now be briefly described anda more detailed description of this mechanism may be found in theaforementioned co-pending Lannerd .applica tion. The arm 28 which isattached to lever 26 acts through a link and a crank 86 to rotate a post81 upon which is vertically oscillatably mounted-a record pick up arm88. The pick up arm is adapted to be elevated through a finger 88athereon engaging 'an upstanding post 88.

When the pick up arm is rotated with the post from the position of Fig.1 to that of Fig. 2, the

endof the pick up arm will engage the edge ofthe topmost record and therotation of the underlying records will cause the topmost record to bemoved laterally from the pile. lever 26 has moved counter-clockwise asviewed in Fig. 1, 'a pre-determined amount, it will be permitted to movein a reverse or clockwise direction, and'this movement is aided by aspring 84 secured to panel I and also to lever 28 and When the which isplaced under tension as the lever 26 moves counterclockwise. Movement oflever 26 in a clockwise direction returns arm 28 and through the linkmeans described, the pick up arm 88 to the position illustrated in Fig.1.

Thus, I have provided a relatively simple arrangement for re-positioningthe tone arm to play another record upon removal of the topmost suresthat these operations will always be properly effected and at the sametime the drive shaft goes through several revolutions in effecting theseresults and a sudden increase in driving power for a short interval iseliminated permitting a relatively small motor to be employed since thepower required to effect these operations is not substantially in excessof that required for normally driving the turntable and supportedrecords.

Although I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, I contemplate that numerous and extensive departures may bemade therefrom and that my invention is equally applicable to amechanism for playing diiferentsized records or the same sized recordsand irrespective of the type of adjustment if the phonograph mechanismis adapted to different sized records.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a phonograph mechanism of the type comprising a. record dischargemechanism and a tone arm positioning mechanism, means for effecting'theoperation of the record discharge mechanism including a movable element,a pinion on the drive shaft of the phonograph mechanism, a sector gearmovable longitudinally of the movable element, linkage between saidmovable element and said discharge mechanism, means for maintaining thesector gear in an engageable path but out of connection withthe pinionduring playing of a record, means causing the sector gear to move alongsaid path in the completion of a record reproduction to engage thepinion to actuate the movable element, means for moving the sector gearto a disengaged path after the movable element has been actuated a.predetermined amount, and means for reversing the movement of. themovable element to the initial position. I

2. In a phonograph mechanism of the type comprising a record dischargemechanism and a tone arm positioning mechanism, a movable elementoperably connected with the record discharge mechanism' and tone armpositioning mechanism, a binion integral with the phonograph mechanismdrive shaft, a sector gear associatedwith the movable element .andmovable longitudinally therealong, means for moving the sector gearalong the movable element into engagement with the drive shaft pinion atthe completion of a record reproduction, means maintaining said sectorgear in engagement with the pinion to effect a predetermined movement ofthe movable element, means for withdrawing the sector gear along themovable element at the completion of said movement, and spring meansreturning the sector gear to a. position to again engage the pinion.

3. In a phonograph mechanism of the type comprising a'record dischargemechanism and a tone arm positioning mechanism, means for operating saiddischarge mechanism including a movable element operably connected tothe-record discharge mechanism and the tone arm positioning mechanism, apinion integral with the phonograph mechanism drive shaft, a sector gearassociated with the movable element, the sector gear being movablelongitudinally of the movable element, spring means for moving thesector gear along the movable element into engagement with the driveshaft pinion at the completion of a record reproduction, meansmaintaining said sector gear in engagement with the pinion to efiect apredetermined movement of the movable element, means for withdrawing thesector gear along the movable element at the completion of saidmovement, spring means returning the sector gear to a position to againengage the pinion, and means maintaining the sector gear in thewithdrawn position during said return movement.

4. In a phonograph mechanism of the type comprising a record dischargemechanism and a tone arm positioning mechanism, a movable elementmounted to pivot in a substantially horizontal plane and operablyconnected to the record discharge mechanism and tone arm positioningmechanism, a pinion integral with the phonograph mechanism drive shaft,a gear associated with the movable element and movable longitudinallyrelative thereto, means positioning the gear adjacent the pinion and ina path to engage said pinion during the playing of a record, means formoving the gear into engagement with the pinion, means withdrawing thegear from engagement with the pinion after the element has been rotateda predetermined amount, means maintaining the gear in the withdrawnposition, and means returning the movable element and the gear to theinitial pinion engageable path.

5. In a phonograph mechanism of the type comprising a record dischargemechanism and a tone arm positioning mechanism, means for effecting theoperation of the record discharge mechanism including a movable element,a pinion on the drive shaft of the phonograph mechanism, a sector gearmovable longitudinally of the movable element, linkage between saidmovable element and said discharge mechanism, means for maintaining thesector gear in an engageable path but out of connection with the pinionduring playing of a record, means causing the sector gear to move alongsaid path in the completion of a record reproduction to engage thepinion to actuate the movable element, means for moving the sector gearto a disengaged path after the movable element has been actuated apredetermined amount, means for reversing the movement of the movableelement to the initial position, and supplementary means carried by saidsector gear comprising a plurality of sector gear teeth disposed insubstantial alignment with the teeth of said sector gear and positionedlaterally outwardly therefrom, forming additional teeth for said sectorgear, said supplementary means also comprising a portion for supportingthe teeth thereof in proper aligned position with the teeth of saidsector gear, and spring means for yieldingly opposing displace ment ofsaid supplementary means from said aligned position, the teeth of saidsupplementary means adapted to make initial meshing engagement betweensaid pinion and said gear sector.

6. In a phonograph mechanism of the type comprising a record dischargemechanism and a tone arm positioning mechanism, a movable elementoperably connected with the record discharge mechanism and tone armpositioning mechanism, a pinion integral with the phonograph mechanismdrive shaft, a sector gear associated with the movable element andmovable longitudinally therealong, means for moving the sector gearalong the movable element into engagement with the drive shaft pinion atthe completion of a record reproduction, means maintaining said sectorgear in engagement with the pinion to effect a predetermined movement ofthe movable element, means for withdrawing the sector gear along themovable element at the completion of said movement, and spring meansreturning the sector gear to a position to again engage the pinion, andsupplementary means carried by said sector gear comprising a pluralityof sector gear teeth disposed in substantial alignment with the teeth ofsaid sector gear and positioned laterally outwardly therefrom, formingadditional teeth for said sector gear, said supplementary means alsocomprising a portion for supporting the teeth thereof in proper alignedposition with the teeth of said sector gear, and spring means foryieldingly opposing displacement of said supplementary means from saidaligned position, the teeth of said supplementary means adapted to makeinitial meshing engagement between said pinion and said gear sector.

7. In a phonograph mechanism of the type comprising a record dischargemechanism and a tone arm positioning mechanism, means for operating saiddischarge mechanism including a movable element operably connected tothe record discharge mechanism and the tone arm positioning mechanism, apinion integral with the phonograph mechanism drive shaft, a sector gearassociated with the movable element, the sector gear being movablelongitudinally of the movable element, spring means for moving thesector gear along the movable element into engagement with the driveshaft pinion at the completion of a record reproduction, meansmaintaining said sector gear in engagement with the pinion to eiTect apredetermined movement of the movable element, means for withdrawing thesector gear along the movable element at the completion-of saidmovement, spring means returning the sector gear to a position to againengage the pinion, means maintaining the sector gear in the withdrawnposition during said return movement. and supplementary means car riedby said sector gear comprising a plurality of sector gear teeth disposedin substantial alignment with the teeth of said sector gear andpositioned laterally outwardly therefrom, forming additional teeth forsaid sector gear, said supplementary means also comprising a portion forsupporting the teeth thereof in proper aligned position with the teethof said sector gear, and spring means for yieldingly opposingdisplacement of said supplementary means from said aligned position, theteeth of said supplementary means adapted to make initial meshingengagement between said pinion and said gear sector.

8. In a phonograph mechanism of the type comprising a record dischargemechanism and a tone arm positioning mechanism, a movable elementmounted to pivot in a substantially horizontal plane and operablyconnected to the record discharge mechanism and tone arm positioningmechanism, a pinion integral with the phonographmechanism drive shaft, agear associated with the movable element and movable longitudinallyrelative thereto, means positioning the gear adjacent the pinion and ina path to engage said pinion during the playing of a record, means formoving the gear into engagement with the pinion after the element hasbeen rotated a predetermined amount, means maintaining the gearin thewithdrawn position, means returning the movable element and the gear tothe initial pinl0 sitioned laterally outwardly therefrom, formingadditional teeth for said sector gear, said supplementary means alsocomprising a portion for supporting the teeth thereof in proper alignedposition with the teeth of said sector gear, and spring means foryieldingly opposing displacement of said supplementary means from saidaligned position, the teeth of said supplementary means adapted to makeinitial meshing engagement between said pinion and said gear sector.-RUSSELL H. RICH.

